New Stuff!

You may have saw this A-DOR-ABLE card on Facebook last week when I posted it.  It's so stinkin' cute, I can't get over it.  This entire set is perfect for me for soooooo many reasons.  Let's name them: 1) I love coloring with Blendabilities, um hello this set is perfect for that!  2) I love sets with animals in them. This could be used for adults or kids, plus with an image this big the kids can stamp and color it to (NOT with my markers though-I'm sure you understand why).  3) I'm a sucker for stamp sets with silly puns.  I will get them all!  This one has fun puns like 'it's pasture birthday' 'from the herd' 'party animals'.  So cute!  How could I resist!?!!  

Obviously I went with Blendabilities to color this image....this time.  I really want to watercolor it too :)  Just when I get all the colors of Blendabilities in the catalog, Stampin' Up! releases more colors!  Of course!!!!  There's two new colors on here, can you guess????  I'll give you a hint Pink Pirouette for the pig and Soft Sky for the sky.  Guess that was more than a hint :)  So super cute!!!  You'll see lots of this set in the future! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Customer Appreciation

I have a really quick post today.  It's really late and I've spent the better part of the day in the kitchen beginning my Christmas baking :)  I mentioned yesterday that every December I do a free class for my customers, these are the 4 cards they got to make at my class.  The cards are always quick and simple for this class.  December is a busy time for everyone, this class is not aimed to focus on a technique or product, but rather for me to say 'THANKS!' to my wonderful customers friends with a class that's free for them.  Enjoy the cards.  They're cute but really simple and pretty straight forward. 

This card is so cute and so simple.  No stamping at all. The letters are made with the cute alphabet thinlits in the Annual Catalog. 

We made one card with some new products coming in Janaury.  This sweet balloon set will be in the Occasions catalog.  I love being able to give a fun sneak peek!! 

Finally a quick fun birthday card.  Oh how I love my Gorgeous Grunge set! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Happy Root Beer

I don't remember where this idea started, I know that I've seen it lots of times on Pintrest but this was the MOST adorable idea and I knew that I'd be doing this for a class. When my customers come to a class, usually I have some sort of 'thank you' gift.  Usually it's chocolate in a box, bag something cute.  Sometimes though I have a non-chocolate treat, it's rare but it happens sometimes.  I had a customer appreciation class over the weekend.  This is a free class that I do every December (check my blog tomorrow for the cards they made).  They make 4 cards, they're all very simple and don't take long to complete.  It's a fun break from the busy Decembers we've come to know.  These were the 'thank you' gifts I made for them.  They're way too cute!!

They couldn't be easier to make!  I used brown pipe cleaners for the antlers (you could use any colors for the antlers though).  I just twisted them around the top of the bottle then formed them a little so they looked, a little like antlers.  I found some red rhinestones at a big box store (you could also use red pom pom, red glitter, foam, really anything for the nose).  I used a glue gun to attach the eyes and noses.  So super easy!!  I made 20 of them in no time!

Then you attach a tag, I printed at home and used MDS to make the tag.  I cut them apart, added some bakers twine and tied it around the bottle.  So easy and fun.  The tag reads: "Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Root Beer"  (PS sorry this photo is so dark I had to take pictures on my cell phone at the class since I had forgotton to do it prior!)  

I was able to get 12 tags per sheet.  I have an old, basic, super un-fancy printer, I hardly ever print anything at home, but I needed the tags in a hurry so I tried it, worked great to my surprise!  When you print from home in MDS I like to save my project as a PDF, then open it up and print as a PDF instead of straight from MDS.  I think it's just easier this way. 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Project Life Christmas Cards

If you follow my blog you know that I'm a My Digital Studio scrapbooker, not a Project Life memory keeper.  But I still love their cards and they're perfect for putting together quick cards.  There is not one ounce of stamping on this card.  Every image you see is from the Hello December Project Life Card Collection by Stampin' Up! These cards are perfect for greeting cards.  They're the right size, they have great images and backgrounds.  How could then not be made for card makers?!!!  I trimmed the cards down a little, the snowflake background was trimmed a little and the 'O Christmas Tree' greeting was cut off another card.  I layered them on some coordinating cardstock.  Super quick and easy! 

The tree was on another card I just used the tree punch to punch it out!  How simple!!!  I added some glimmer paper, because why not!?!  I popped it up on dimensionals and the card was complete!  So fun!  Look through your PLxSU cards and make your own greeting cards!  This was was so fun and soooo quick! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!!!

12 Weeks Til Christmas Countdown: Week 11

I have a different kind of card for you today (don't worry it still has embossing).  I made a fun shaker card! It's so cute!!  I think in my stamping life I've made a total of 2 shaker cards, that include this one :)  I may be wrong and just don't remember other ones but this one is soooo sweet and I love it!!!  For the snowman's shape I used the circle framelits, I believe I used the 3 smallest ones.  I started with the largest of the 3 and cut it out toward the bottom, then did the middle and the top.  Because the circles overlapped I could only do one at a time, but even though I had to run it through my big shot 3 times it still went quickly.  Then I got to build up my shakers card.  I put a window sheet over the circles I just cut out then dimensionals all around the circles.  This part was a little time consuming.  I did learn a tip after I made this card (of course) to use fun foam to do your shaker cards!!  Brilliant idea.  I'll do that for my next one!!  But the dimensionals worked fine.  Once I had the dimensionals on there I put in my sequins.  I put in a lot, probably more than I should have, there's so many of them, there's not a lot of room for them to 'shake', next time I'll also put in some glitter too.  I don't know why I didn't do glitter!  Stick the back on when your shaker is filled and that part is done!!  It really was simple. 

Then I just had to complete my card.  I stamped and embossed my greeting on velum and wrapped it around my snowman.  Then I added some fun texture along the sides of my card.  I used some washi tape and glimmer paper.  This was a really fun card and I'll make more shaker cards in the future for sure!!!! 

Remember to join me next week for week 12. If you've missed the past weeks click the links below.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!!

Chevron Thoughts

I have more embossing today, I told you I'm embossing everything!  This one is a little different and there were a few steps to get my desired look on this card.  It's pretty simple, there's no accessories on here, but I didn't think it needed any, the embossing really adds shine and texture that any accessory would bring.  The flowers are embossed, I really wanted embossed flowers because I knew I'd be stamping the Chevron Background over the flowers and I wanted the flowers to 'resist' the ink.  The easiest way to do that is embossing.  But I'm picky and really wanted my flowers in Mossy Meadow and Lost Lagoon, so I worked quickly and with clear embossing powder I used our classic ink and was able to emboss in the colors I wanted.  You need to work quickly when doing this though, I stamped and covered with embossing powder immediately.  Once the powder is on there, you don't need to work as quickly to heat it but you need to get the powder on them as quickly as you can.  I made 5 of these cards and stamp and powdered them all before heating and that worked fine. 

Once your flowers are embossed stamping the background couldn't be easier.  I used the Chevron Background and Smoky Slate ink.  I stamped the background twice on scrap paper before my project.  I really wanted a toned down gray and stamping off a couple of times is the easies way to achieve that look.  Another trend I'm loving lately, you may have noticed, is stamping and embossing my greetings on vellum and wrapping them around the card.  I've found this is the best way to add sentiments over images, plus I just LOVE vellum!  When you emboss on vellum hold your heat tool off to the side until it's really hot then melt the powder. Vellum can burn and scorch pretty quickly if you keep heat on it too long, heating up your heat tool off to the side prevents that.  My countdown to Christmas is almost done!  I can't believe it!  Join me tomorrow for Week 11!

 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!    

Embossed Woodgrain

While this card is stinkin' cute, this card is all about the heat embossing.  I've been really embossing everything lately.  When I first started stamping heat embossing was really like my WOW technique, it was easy, even a beginner like me could do it, I just loved it!!!  Then I got into more time consume, more advanced techniques and I stopped embossing.  I'd pull it out every once in a while but I not as much as when I first started.  Now, I'm back to embossing and love it more than ever!  It doesn't matter what you emboss.  It could be the smallest detail on the card, that tiny detail embossed will change the look of your card instantly!  For this card I wanted the wood grain background, but stamping it in ANY color just didn't look great.  I wasn't happy.  After trying it 3 or 4 times I pulled out my white embossing powder and went for a tone on tone background.  I loved it.  It's not overwhelming on the card but it really pulls the card together. 

The bird is super simple and just colored with some Stampin' Write Markers.  I used Real Red, Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake and Soft Suede.  Once my background was done the rest of the card just fell into place.  If you haven't embossed in a while I encourage you to.  Hate to be quick but gotta run, December is shaping up to be a CRAZY month!  Too many things to do and not enough time to do it!  :)

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Cards From Friends

I've received a couple of really adorable cards from friends lately.  This first one is from Carmelita, she gave this to me a couple weeks ago, she said it reminded her of me....wonder why....couldn't be all that glitter could it???  :)  I love this card.  It's so beautiful!  I have it sitting on my shelf, I love it!!!  Thanks Carmelita!!! 

This next card is from Michelle, she sent this card after her Winter Wonderland Craft Weekend.  How stinkin' cute is that snow man!!!!!?!?!  I love the Melon Mambo with the Crumb Cake, what a fun color combo, but I'd expect nothing less from Michelle.  Thanks Michelle I LOVE IT!!!!

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Finishing The Gift Cards.

I have the final two gift cards from my class.  I love them both!  This first one could easily be changed to a birthday gift card holder.  I just love this Trim The Tree DSP pack!  We used some Cherry Cobbler cardstock for this one.  I'll be honest I had to dust off my Cherry Cobbler, I really am not a fan of this color.  If I use red, I really much prefer Real Red :)  But this color coordinates perfectly with the DSP so I made it work :)

When you pull up the lid of the box the gift card magically appears, so cute!!!  I found the directions for this one here.  We used the envelope punch board to make the sweet bow on the top and wrapped the box with matching DSP so it all looks seamless :)

Finally, the last one that we made also used the Envelope Punch Board.  I really love this tool!!!  This little box ends up being the perfect size for a gift card.  To make it we started with a 5x5 piece of DSP and punched and scored along the top at 2 and 2 5/8, then turn and punch and score at both score lines all the way around.  I know you're all wondering where I got those measurements, because goodness knows I am not skilled enough in math to figure out where to score to make a perfect box....not this stamper!  I used this tutorial from Sam from Pootles. 

Then you fold and assemble and end up with this,  So cute!!!!  Also can I just point out that I love Real Red and Coastal Cabana together and I'm going to be one super sad stamper when Coastal Cabana leaves us...... :(  There will be plenty of time to be sad about that later :)  Have a great weekend, I'll be back Monday!

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

12 Weeks Til Christmas Countdown: Week 10

After this week we only have 2 weeks left in the Christmas Countdown!  I've loved doing all these fun Christmas projects!  I have cards for the rest of the countdown series but make sure to keep checking my blog on other days, I'll share more ideas for Christmas!  This card is a little different than what I normally do, I didn't stamp the images.  They're actually just printed from my computer.  I was looking for some Christmas coloring sheets for the kids and came across this sweet image.  It was so cute and I've been itching to pull out my Blendabilities again :)  I colored it just for fun and it came out soooooo cute that I had to put it on a card! 

In some moment of insanity I fussy cut this image.  Normally I don't mind fussy cutting images I actually think it fun, but this one was crazy to cut out, there were so many TINY spots and I had to pull out my xacto knife for some of them.  Then I painted the entire cut out image with the glitter pen that I so desperately want SU to carry :(  Then I covered every part of this image from the top of the lamp post to the dogs tail with Crystal Effects.  I love the shine that you get with Crystal Effects but I think it also hides some of the imperfections in my cutting, the shinny finish I think distracts you from looking for those imperfections :)  I hope anyway :)  So expand your Blendabilities use and look online for free images (or pay if you want).  This is the second time I've printed and colored with Blendabilities.  The first time was for Megan's Frozen card for her birthday.  I've had success both times. 

 

Remember to join me next week for week 10. If you've missed the past weeks click the links below.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4
Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!!

Glimmer Stache

I didn't really understand the whole mustache framelit in the catalog.  I get the whole 'mustache you a question' puns and such but I knew it wasn't for me, nope.  Then the Holiday catalog came out, and the super cute Santa Stache set won me over.  The mustache framelit had been added to my wishlist.  BUT when I used the mustache framelit with the coordinating stamp I didn't like the border that I would get......first world problems I know!  So I usually ended up just hand cutting the mustaches for my nutcracker and Santa cards.  Now I have a mustache framelit and no way to use it......

Then all these Santa's with mustaches started popping up all over Pintrest.  This is another gift card holder from my class last month.  I saw this gift card holder made with the fry box and loved almost everything about it.  The main thing I didn't like was that the gift card partially covered Santa's beard, we're using glimmer paper, I want it all to sparkle not get covered up.  I'll show you how I modified it in a minute.  But for the fry box itself, we just cut the tabs off the back and wrapped the front tabs around to make more of a pouch then a box.  CUTE!!! 

Back to the beard, because I didn't want to hide any of the glimmer paper, I made a 'slider' type addition.  This way the gift card slides right into our fry box pouch and we assembled the beard on the front of it (this picture is showing the back of it, where there's a 'holder' for the card.  This piece of cardstock is simply 2x4, score the bottom at .5 inches and you have a little tab to hold your gift card.  It fit perfectly in the pouch and none of the glimmer paper is hidden :) This also gives you a place to write a note or stamp a greeting.  It's adorable and I love it!  I'll have the last two gift cards to share on Friday, tomorrow is Week 10 of my Christmas Countdown :)

 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Pop Up Box Gift Card Holder

A couple weeks ago at my November class we made Holiday Gift Card Holders.  Gift card giving has gotten to be very popular, why just put them in a boring envelope???  At my class my guests got to make 4 holders, today I'm showing you 1, my favorite one!!!!  Tomorrow I'll share more :)  First of all can we just say how stinkin' cute that car with the tree on top is???!!?!!?  We just used our Stampin' Write markers to color it in.  So cute!!!

The box is really easy to put together and once you do it once you can do it a hundred times.  The directions that I followed are here.  Check them out if you want to make your own.  Brenda has a step by step tutorial on her blog, much easier to follow then my mixed up language here. 

The belly band slides right off and when you open the box the gift card pops right up.  This is by far the sweetest little gift card box ever!!!!!

I love that the inside is lined with a different color than the box.  Of course for a more seamless look you could use the same color as the box :) 

Here's another one I made, waaaayyyyyy back in October.  One of the kids friends had a birthday and I didn't want to go shopping, well we really just didn't know what to get him, so a Target gift card it was!  Logan was all for the gift card, he was given a Barnes and Nobel gift card for his birthday and he loved being able to pay all by himself and picking out what books he wanted.  He's all for gift cards now :)

 This one was made the same way.  Both boxes are adorable!!!  I hope you enjoyed this little bonus box :) Don't forget that today is the last day of the Online Extravaganza!!!  All orders must be placed today to qualify for the discounts, you can shop here but hurry!!!

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

You've Got Me Bear

Here's the last card that I made at craft weekend, weeks ago now!  I guess I got more done there than I thought :)  But I'm going to be really critical of myself again.  This bear is stinkin', stinkin' cute...however his arms are just toooo small.  When I make him again, I'm making him with bigger arms :)  But isn't he so cuddly, don't you just want to hug him!?!  He's done with circle's and ovals.  If you only own a few punched make sure they're circles and ovals.  I use those by far more than any other punch in my collection, especially when it comes to punch art!  The stars on the background are from the star border punch in the Holiday Catalog, I don't own that punch, I'm so glad Michelle had it so I could use it.  It's a fun punch......not sure if I'll get it though......I don't know how much I'd really use it :)

For the bear, we'll start from the bottom and work up.  Feet-Small Oval, pads of the feet-1/2 Inch Circle and smallest circle from the crop a dile (retired), body-XL Oval, hands-1/2 Inch Circle (but I'd go bigger on this one), head-1 3/4 Inch Circle, muzzle-Small Oval, nose-1/2 Inch Circle, ears-Small Oval and 1/4 Inch Circle.  That's it!  I told you circles and ovals, they're your best friends when it comes to punch art :)  I have lots of new stuff to share, thanks for 'bear'ing with me while I shared my craft weekend projects over the past couple weeks :)

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!